Cheviot Blue – Double Knit (full skein)

This is our heritage yarn that pays homage to the traditional breeds of Northumberland and the Cheviot Hills in the North East of England, UK. It is a blend of South Country Cheviot, the first and so best shearing, of our own sheep mixed with Blue Faced Leicester from a small pedigree flock belonging to friends who farm a few miles from Whistlebare. Cheviots are hardy little sheep quite at home in the hills. Their fleece is robust and warm but thanks to some judicious crossing with merinos, by monks in the 17th century, rather softer than that of other hill breeds. Blue Faced Leicester I’m sure will need no introduction as being the softest native fleece in the UK and semi-lustrous too.

Cheviot Blue is a crisp, bouncy, hard working yarn perfect for hill walking jumpers or hats and mitts for snowballing. Its stitch definition is second to none, think elaborate cables or colour work in a garment that will be robust enough to last a lifetime yet still soft enough to be itch free.

Our Cheviot Blue DK Full Skein yarn is currently available in the following colours:

Cheviot Blue DK is perfect for many designers patterns

This is Baa-Ble Beanie, designed by Donna Smith and published in Shetland Wool Week’s Annual 2015. The pattern is also available on Ravelry. We are quite late to the party, knitting this pattern, but could not resist it! Cheviot Blue DK shows the patterns perfectly!

Direct from our farm in Northumberland

Here at Whistlebare producing yarn is entirely a family affair. Every stage of the process is in our hands from selecting the livestock to labelling the last skein of yarn. When you buy natural yarn from Whistlebare you know that it has been produced with the utmost care; both for its quality and beauty, and its concern for animal welfare and environmental impact.

This still applies when we include fibre from other farms. The blue faced Leicester wool in our Cheviot Blue was sourced from friends who farm a few miles from Whistlebare and whose animal husbandry and welfare standards we admire.